1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to portable waste containers, and more specifically, to a reusable, expandable and portable container for disposing of liquid waste products.
2. Related Art
Conventional portable urinals typically comprise a solid container of a fixed size and dimension having a top that provides a tight fit to the container. To use such a conventional portable urinal, a person simply uncaps it, uses it, and recaps it, thereby having to dispose of its contents at a later time.
There are several disadvantages with conventional portable urinals. Conventional containers typically are of a fixed size and dimension, thereby being cumbersome to store. Also, by being a fixed size, a finite amount of urine, or other liquid waste products, will fit within the container. Therefore, there is a need for a portable container that can store varying amounts of a liquid waste product, e.g., urine.
Another disadvantage is that when used, the urine remains in the container in a liquid form resulting in a strong possibility that the urine may spill or emit a strong odor from the container. Both of which are unpleasant experiences. Therefore, there is a need for a portable container that solidifies the urine or liquid waste product contained therein, eliminating all odors and the possibility of the liquid waste product from spilling out of the container.
Furthermore, after being used, conventional portable urinals must be either thrown away with the contents or the contents removed and the container cleaned for the next use. Neither of these options is attractive. If every conventional container is thrown away, then it becomes harmful to the environment as well as expensive for the user to maintain a constant supply of containers. If the conventional container requires cleaning after each use, then the user must handle the unpleasant task of cleaning out the container. Therefore, there is a need for a portable container that eliminates the need to dispose of the entire portable container or to clean the container between uses, thereby facilitating the disposal of liquid waste products. There is a further need for a portable container that facilitates repeated use of the portable container that is safe for the environment and convenient for the user.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,892 to Szabo, a relief container is disclosed for use in automobiles. This relief container comprises a bag having a rigid ring assembly inserted through a pocket located along the top rim of the bag and secured in place with a draw-string. The ring assembly holds the top of the bag open. Once a liquid waste product, e.g., urine, is deposited in the bag, the top of the bag is twisted and tied shut. There are several disadvantages of the Szabo relief container. First, the bag itself is unstable to hold as it is being used. A user must hold the ring assembly during use and therefore runs the risk of coming into contact with the liquid waste product as it is being deposited. Second, the ring assembly is a cumbersome feature that requires multiple pieces, all of which may easily be lost or broken, thereby rendering the relief container inoperative. Furthermore, the liquid waste product maintains its liquid form until its disposal which means that the liquid may spill or otherwise leak from a tear in the bag or an accidental opening of the top of the bag.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,422 to White, et al., a drainage bottle having a hanger support is disclosed wherein the drainage bottle may be stored in a collapsed position prior to use. Despite this collapsible feature, the drainage bottle is still a finite size regardless of the amount of liquid deposited therein and can only contain a fixed amount of liquid. Also, upon being used, the drainage bottle must be disposed of in its entirety or cleaned out for a subsequent use--either of which is not a preferred feature.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,600 to Cullen, et al., a liquid absorbing and immobilizing packet is disclosed wherein the packet is degradable in a liquid and the material contained within the packet transforms the liquid into a gel-like substance. The packet is intended for the sole purpose of being used in a container such that any leak of a liquid from an object stored within the container is prevented, thereby protecting the container from damage and becoming weak.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,727 to Wyatt, a disposable waste bag is disclosed for use with a bedpan or other portable commode. However, this waste bag does not incorporate any means for securing the bag closed, thereby preventing any spillage or leaking of the contents. The waste bag simply provides a means to carry the bag and its contents wherein the contents remain in a liquid state. In addition, a user would not be able to use the waste bag without a support framework to hold onto because it would be very cumbersome for a user to hold the bag while attempting to use it.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,116 to Yamamoto, a portable urinal is disclosed being a fixed-size storage bag wherein the top mouth portion is more rigid than the bottom portion. In addition, a pouch is located at the bottom of the storage bag into which is placed a water-absorbing agent for forming a gel when brought in contact with the urine or other liquid waste product. After use, the portable urinal is to be thrown away.
There are many disadvantages associated with the Yamamoto portable urinal. One disadvantage is that a user must hold the urinal near the top mouth because that is the only portion of the urinal that is rigid and provides a secure grip. Because the remainder of the urinal is less rigid, it would be difficult to hold steady while in use. In addition, because this portable urinal is not intended to be reused, a user must purchase multiple urinals for repeated use, thereby requiring excess storage space and expense.
Another disadvantage with the Yamamoto portable urinal is the means by which the water-absorbing agent is brought into contact with the liquid waste product. In the preferred embodiment, the water-absorbing agent is stored in a water permeable, water insoluble pocket located on the interior of the bottom of the storage bag. Therefore, when the liquid waste product is deposited into the storage bag, the liquid waste product permeates the pouch, is absorbed by the water-absorbing agent which becomes swollen as it becomes a gel. This expansion into a gel causes the pocket to burst into fragments, thereby dispensing the remainder of the water-absorbing agent into the liquid waste product. This means for changing the liquid waste product into a gel results in several problems. First, the liquid waste product may never be gelled if the pouch fails to break. Also, enough liquid waste product must be deposited into the storage bag such that the water absorbing agent swells and bursts the pouch. An insufficient amount of a deposit results in the deposit keeping its liquid form.
Despite all of the different apparatuses disclosed in these prior patents, there continues to be a need for an expandable container that is safe, sanitary, and has the ability to transform a liquid waste product into a gel form to facilitate its disposal. There is also a need for a portable container that can adapt to different volumes of liquid wherein the expandable container is easily handled and managed during use. Further, there is a continued need for an expandable container that can be used repeatedly for the storage and disposal of liquid waste products, thereby eliminating the need for cleaning the portable container between uses and eliminating the need for a user to purchase multiple portable containers.